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Dave's Top Eight
1. Jerry Reed...Revisited by Darrell Toney (reviewed 6/07) (5 Stars) Click title to purchase at CBD.com...click artist name to read Dave's Review. A CD will automatically fall out of the Top Eight after twelve months if no CD surpasses it before then.
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-----------July 24, 2007CD Review: Mercy's Well (Skywriting) RATING: 4 1/2 Stars Producer: Donna Beauvais Website: www.mercyswell.com Song Titles: "The Sun Will Shine Again," "Unspeakable Joy," "More Than I Deserve," "This Could Be," "Water Walkin'," "I'll See You Soon," "Live A Lot," "Man Of God," "He Said Yes," "I'm Gonna Take A Ride," and "When God Ran" Look for this review in the September 2007 issue of Singing News. (Click the link to subscribe if you don't already receive the magazine.) Labels: CD Review July 14, 2007CD Review: Dave Williford (A King's Ransom) RATING: 4 Stars Producer: Dave Williford Website: www.willifordmusic.com Song Titles: "Forgiven," "Over and Over," "Cowboy Heaven," "Born To Sing," "He Did," "A King's Ransom," "What I Believe," "When I See Your Face," "American Christian," "I'll Pray," "I Don't Have A Prayer," and "Do You Know Jesus" A King's Ransom is a great independent project by Dave Williford. He wrote all twelve songs, sang and produced. A drummer, vocalist, and bass guitar player are listed as members of the Dave Williford Band in the liner notes, but it appears Williford actually played everything himself on the CD. (The liner notes also state, "All instrumentation by Dave Williford.") "Forgiven" is the first cut and it's also Williford's first single to radio. Some country piano licks make this track stand out, and you can go ahead and get used to it. This becomes a trend. "Over And Over" has a rollicking feel that reminds me of Gordon Mote's "I Catch 'em, God Cleans 'em." The pace slows a bit for "Cowboy Heaven"...not my favorite lyric. I get the point of the song and it's well written enough, but there's enough "Y'ouns" and "Y'alls" in this one to make Jeff Foxworthy proud. "Born To Sing" returns to the upbeat feel of the first two tracks with a bit of slightly distorted guitar added for a nice effect. Williford offers eight more tracks to complete A King's Ransom. I won't detail each song for you as I typically do in a review, but trust me, there's a lot to like. The background vocals are mixed hot enough that fans of harmony should be happy. In other words, there's a significant "trio" feel to this solo recording. Williford is a decent enough singer...no Ivan Parker by any stretch...but pretty good, and although he may not quite be a Mark Bishop or David Patillo in the songwriting department, he's within striking distance. Williford knows how to paint a picture with his lyrics in addition to getting the rhythms right in his phrases. More than that, he sure knows how to create a compelling musical groove...not studio perfect, but vibrant in a way that makes you him to keep on playing. A King's Ransom is worth checking out. I don't consider this CD to be a 5-Star project for reasons I've mentioned above, but I think it's going to make Dave's Top Eight. (DTE appears at the top of this blog. I list my personal favorites from the last twelve months.) I've had this CD in my car for a while now, and I've listened to it from beginning to end at least ten times without getting tired of it (other than "Cowboy Heaven"). The appeal for me is the live band element in Williford's sound. That's really refreshing in a typically over-produced musical world. ----------------- Here's some extra info regarding Williford's CD... Rather than going to his website to order his CD or seeking it out in a traditional brick and mortar store, you can click HERE to purchase and download it right now. If you don't want the whole CD, you can buy just one song. The good news is there's no nasty DRM or proprietary format to annoy and frustrate you. The company Williford is using sells 192-bit MP3 files, which play on any standard digital listening device and can be easily transferred from one to another. Of course, independent artists have been doing this sort of "non-traditional" marketing for some time now, but it hasn't really caught on in Southern Gospel for some reason. It's encouraging to see independent artists of Williford's caliber out there testing the waters. And no, I'm not getting a cut from the sales I send his way. I'm genuinely glad to see an artist who is taking this approach in addition to the traditional marketing opportunities that have been around forever. Perhaps the mainstream labels will fully embrace this mode of distribution in the future. So far, it hasn't looked too promising. Labels: CD Review July 10, 2007Submit Those CDs For Review/RatingAt my "Submit A CD" link in the menu up top, one of the items states, "Submission of your product does not guarantee a review." My mailbox sees a fairly steady stream of CD submissions, as you can probably imagine. About a third of these ultimately gather dust on my desk. The fact is that I'm only able to sell a portion of the reviews I write, and there's only so many reviews I'm willing to write as a free service above and beyond those that I do sell. I've tried writing short "nutshell" reviews in an attempt to include every title received, but when I scan covers, type in song titles, etc., it can still be very time consuming. I always feel a bit guilty neglecting someone's "baby," though, especially since I request these submissions. I particularly hate to leave projects that I consider to be 3-star quality or better unmentioned. With that in mind, I'm about to make a promise that I hope will be appreciated. In the future, every submitted CD will receive a published rating. That's the very least I can do for artists who take the time to mail a project in for a review. (Of course, I reserve the right to revoke this guarantee if it proves to be too overwhelming at any point in the future.) These "rating only" blog entries will include no details, no list of song titles, no record label info, and no cover photo. I'll merely list the artist name, the CD title, and a rating based on my 5-star scale. Fair enough? Of course, this won't replace my regular reviews. Any CD you submit will still have a chance to get the full review treatment. I've received a great deal of personal satisfaction from writing in-depth CD reviews for years, and I have no intention of stopping now. This will merely be a handy method for clearing out the backlog that builds up from time to time. Labels: Announcements, CD Review June 25, 2007CD Review: Palmetto State (Thank God For A Song) RATING: 3 1/2 Stars Producer: Jeff Collins Label: Sonlite Records Website: www.palmettostatequartet.com Song Titles: "Reach For The Sky," "Beautiful Shining Happy Golden Shore," "He's The Anchor Of My Soul," "Love Is The Reason," "Hope's Harbor," "It Only Takes One," "In The Land Of The Free," "Gone Fishin'," "Thank God For A Song," and "I've Got It" Look for this review in an upcoming issue of Singing News. (Click the link to subscribe if you don't already receive the magazine.) Labels: CD Review June 22, 2007Darrell Toney (Jerry Reed Revisited) RATING: 5 Stars Producers: Rodney Ingle and Darrell Toney Label: Wilson Creek Website: www.darrelltoney.com Song Titles: "Stand Back...Here We Come (song intro)," "Jerry's Breakdown," "Bluesland," "Funky Junk," "The Claw," "Dreaming Fairytales," "First Born," "Stump Water," "Reedology," "Bake," "The Mad Russian," "Reed That Thang," "Jiffy Jam," and "The Early Dawn" (click song titles to download samples from Toney's website) This is going read more like a raving recommendation than a proper review. If you're into hot licks guitar playing at all, you owe it to yourself to seek and find Jerry Reed...Revisited by Darrell Toney And Friends. That's really all you need to know. The energy and virtuosity of the players gathered in one place to create this project is simply outstanding. As you can gather from the title, we really aren't talking about a Southern Gospel project. It's a tribute to guitar picker, Jerry Reed. Toney does have a SG connection or two, though. He's the son of Kyer Toney (one of the original Toney Brothers), which makes him a first cousin to the group's current manager, Terry Toney. He's also a cousin to Dean Adkins, who is without a doubt one of Southern Gospel music's biggest fans. (If it hadn't been for Dean, it's likely this CD would never have crossed my path.) Older fans may recall that Toney sang with a trio called Renaissance in the 1970s, recording on the Milk & Honey record label. Currently, he works with Franklin Graham's evangelism team. Back to the music... The first cut ("Jerry's Breakdown") has a Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Will The Circle Be Unbroken vibe, with clips of the musicians talking in the studio before and after the track. I wouldn't have minded if Toney had continued to borrow this idea from the Dirt Band, but the other tracks lack any spoken filler. Eleven other instrumentals written by Reed and Toney's tribute to Reed titled "Reed That Thang" complete Jerry Reed...Revisited. Most of these feature Nashville picking in the style popularized by Reed and his good friend, Chet Atkins, but a few ("Bluesland," "Dreaming Fairytales" "First Born," and "The Early Dawn") drift in various directions...jazz, blues, and classical...for an added level of contrast. (Song clips are linked above.) Session players included Buddy Greene, Buddy Hyatt, and several others (who may or may not answer to "Buddy"). The late harmonica virtuoso Terry McMillan is showcased in several spots. One thought struck me that really has nothing to do with the music on this particular CD. It's just a point that can be thrown into the age old debate that continuously swirls around Christians who happen to be musicians. (This point is free...no additional charge!) Here's Darrell Toney, making a name for himself among music fans who enjoy the hot guitar style, regardless of whether they happen to be Christians or not. IF they get interested enough to learn more about Toney, what is his regular day job? He helps make huge evangelistic events possible around the world. I don't know the man personally, but he appears to be a good example of that salt and light that the Bible talks about, finding creative ways to express himself artistically while obviously enjoying himself in the process and clearly making a greater effort than many of us can claim when it comes to spreading the Gospel around the world. Labels: CD Review May 31, 2007CD Review: Daryl Williams Trio (Marching) RATING: 4 Stars Producers: Danny Crawford and Jeff Collins Label: Sonlite Records Website: www.darylwilliamstrio.net Song Titles: "When The Saints," "I've Come Here To Tell You," "Between Two Thieves," "A Homesick Angel," "That's Why We Cry Holy," "Ready For Wings," "When God Has Another Plan," "I Don't Sail Alone," "Why Trouble The Master," and "His Hand On Me" Look for this review in an upcoming issue of Singing News. (Click the link to subscribe if you don't already receive the magazine.) Labels: CD Review CD Review: Collingsworth Family (We Still Believe) RATING: 4 Stars Producers: Wayne Haun, Roger Talley and Jason Webb Label: Crossroads Website: www.philandkim.com Song Titles: "The Blood Of Jesus," "We Still Believe," "When God Whispers," "Trumpet Medley," "He Already Sees," "Not The Same," "I Can Trust Jesus," "What Noah Knew," "It Is Well With My Soul," "More Than Just A Swear Word," "In Awe," "God Can Do Anything," "My Favorite Things," and "Blessed Be The Lamb" Look for this review in an upcoming issue of Singing News. (Click the link to subscribe if you don't already receive the magazine.) Labels: CD Review May 22, 2007CD Review: 33 Miles-Austins BridgeDUAL REVIEW OF 33 Miles (self-titled) and Austins Bridge (self-titled)  RATING: 3 1/2 Stars Producer: Nathan Nockels Label: INO Records Website: 33milesonline.com Song Titles: "What Could Be Better," "Come With Me," "Stand Amazed," "There Is A God," "Hold On," "Thank You," "I Can't Deny," "Salvation Has A Name," "This Is Now," "The Best Man," and "When I Get Where I'm Going"  RATING: 3 1/2 StarsProducer: Bubba Smith Label: Daywind Records Website: austinsbridge.com Song Titles: "He Will Carry You," "Dry Bones," "His Burden's Light," "He's In Control," "I Am Free," "This Is Love," "I See Daylight," "Life's Too Short," "History Turned The Page," "What I Still Believe," and "Jesus, You Are" (This review format is a bit different than my usual fare. It's more of a gut reaction to 33 Miles and Austins Bridge than a fully fleshed out review.) I'm grouping these two particular CDs together because the artists share some similarities. Both CDs are self-titled debuts. Both are young "boy band" types with enough of a Country element in their music to draw comparisons to Rascal Flatts. In other words, both groups could be classified as "Pop/Country." 33 Miles leans toward the pop half, hailing from INO Records (which boasts artists ranging from Sandi Patty on one extreme to P.O.D on the other). Austins Bridge bends in the other direction, as you might expect from a group on the Daywind label. They also have a few Bluegrass moments, including one cut where Blues meets Bluegrass ("He's In Control"). Both CDs are infected with an clear case of debut-itus, though. In one word, 33 Miles' symptom could be called "frantic." Austins Bridge gets a two-word description: "lackluster songwriting." I was drawn to 33 Miles because of their first single, "What Could Be Better." This cut has all the makings of a pop hit, and from what I've read, it's doing quite well on the Christian pop charts right now. The CD's general sound, though, is just too busy...too many over-produced loops of sound that repeat over and over verbatim. There's very little melody to speak of from the instruments. (At least "Hold On" gives us a brief guitar solo.) Even the vocals get too loopy at times, becoming more about driving a point into the ground than progressing musically. "This Is Now" toward the end is one of several examples. Everything is rhythm. Austins Bridge has production quality and vocals that are closer to my personal taste. Their songs have a beginning, a middle, and an end; plus, the arrangements never bury the singers in the mix. Unfortunately, some of the songwriting leaves a lot to be desired. Where 33 Miles wears you out with recycled rhythmic loops, Austins Bridge has too many obvious rhymes. The bridge on "He Will Carry You" is a typical example: "Through the wind and through the rain, through the sorrow and the pain, When you feel your strength is gone and you can't go on." If forced to pick one group over the other, I'd have a tough choice...fortunately, I don't have to choose. 33 Miles has more to say and they do the better job of saying it. Aside from their first single, I really like "The Best Man" and "When I Get Where I'm Going." My favorite cuts by Austins Bridge are "Dry Bones" (a public domain song with a modern fun arrangement) and "History Turned The Page" (a thought provoking lyric that stands tall due to a lack of competition). I rated both CDs at 3 1/2 Stars. A good chunk of money was spent in the studio on each of these recordings, and it shows. Both groups have talented vocalists. Austins Bridge just needs to spend more time on song selection the next time around. Meanwhile, maybe 33 Miles can find a producer who understands the concept of coming up for air. Labels: CD Review May 19, 2007CD Review: Karen Peck And New River (Journey Of Joy) RATING: 4 1/2 Stars Producer: Bubba Smith Label: Daywind Records Website: www.karenpeckandnewriver.com Song Titles: "Hey," "Last Night," "Journey Of Joy," "'Round The Kitchen Table," "Then He Moved," "When The Stone Rolled Away," "Whispered Prayers," "Faith," "Behind The Line Of Grace," "Hold On," and "Where The Dirt Road Stops" Contrasting Karen Peck & New River's Good To Be Free from 2005, 2007's Journey Of Joy provides more opportunities for "Hey" gets the CD underway with a fun lyric and an upbeat country track tinted with hints of bluegrass. This sort of instrumentation is used for most of the CD. The first single from this recording is "Last Night," a song in a 6/8 meter that overcomes the stereotypical 6/8 song with creative arranging. It's an almost awkward shuffle that builds to a big ending...like a ballad, but slightly faster than a typical ballad. Susan steps up to the microphone for the title track, a mid-tempo cut that again leans on bluegrass instruments for flavor. "'Round The Kitchen Table" reminisces about the good old days when the family ate and prayed together. This is the sort of song that Karen belts right out of the park. It has potential for mainstream Country radio as well as gospel. Devin takes the lead for "Then He Moved," a slower Country cut about the resurrection of Jesus. "When The Stone Was Rolled Away" has a Bluegrass meets Motown meets KP&NR treatment. A B3 organ, a banjo, some "na na na" background vocals, and KP&NR's vocals combine to give this track a mood you don't hear every day. "Whispered Prayers" is the potential goose bump generating song on Journey Of Joy. Starting softly with just an acoustic guitar, the song generates a worshipful mood. Just when you think it's all over, a tag fades back in with overlapping spoken examples of whispered prayers (and one that isn't whispered at all). I am impressed by the way the songs are paced on Journey Of Joy. Following "Then He Moved" with "When The Stone Was Rolled Away" is one example. The intro to "Faith" is another, starting softly so as not to disturb the residual effects of "Whispered Prayers," but then moving to a comfortable, mid-tempo setting right away. The trumpets on the bridge were a bit of a disruption. These sound a bit fake and no human player is credited, so I'm assuming this sound came from a keyboard sample as an afterthought...better left out. The pace slows again for "Behind The Line Of Grace," another cut that features Susan. Devin is featured on the bluesy "Hold On," with the B3 organ returning to provide padding behind his blue-eyed soul vocals. Someone else is singing extra BGVs on this cut, because you can hear a male bass singer in the back of the mix. Karen slows the tempo on "Where The Dirt Road Stops" to close out Journey Of Joy. By the way, Karen co-wrote three songs on Journey Of Joy. These include "Hey" and "Faith" (with former New River member John Darin Rowsey) and "When The Stone Rolled Away" (with Rowsey and Joel Lindsey). Also, Susan co-wrote the title track with Rebecca J. Peck (any relation?). Other writers whose songs appear on Journey Of Joy include Marcia Henry, Ronny Hinson, Cindi Ballard, Jeff Steele, Earl Galloway, Kyla Rowland, and Gerald Crabb. Journey Of Joy has the sort of consistency from beginning to end that should be more common from major label releases. The song selection, while not earth shattering in terms of creativity, is solid enough...employing tried and true themes like grace, faith, and deliverance as well as the Bible story songs KP&NR fans have come to expect. Sure, there's a bit of fun at the outset with a "gee whilakers" sort of song like "Hey," but Journey Of Joy is more substantial than that. Also, the production quality is very good (pretending no out of place trumpets exist momentarily), and the singing is both interesting and unique due to Karen's distinctive tone quality. Bottom line: Journey Of Joy is one of the better releases I've heard in 2007. Labels: CD Review May 12, 2007CD Review: Triumphant Quartet (You Gotta Love It) RATING: 4 Stars Producer: Steve W. Mauldin Label: Daywind Records Website: www.triumphantquartet.com Song Titles: "Giver, Creator, Savior," "You Gotta Love It," "Smack Dab In The Middle Of His Will," "He Will Be," "Let It Be Me," "The Great I Am Still Is," "The Old White Flag," "He Rescued Me," "Delivered Again," "The Holy Hills Of Heaven Call Me," and "I Know I'm Going Home" Look for this review in an upcoming issue of Singing News. (Click the link to subscribe if you don't already receive the magazine.) Labels: CD Review May 8, 2007CD Review: Janet Paschal (Sounds Like Sunday) RATING: 5 Stars BUY IT! Producer: Wayne Haun Label: Vine Records Website: www.janetpaschal.com Song Titles: "O Worship The King," "Mysterious Ways," "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus," "I See A Crimson Stream," "Near The Cross," "Surely God Is Able," "What A Friend We Have In Jesus," "Be Still My Soul," "Let The Lower Lights Be Burning," "When God Dips His Love In My Heart," "The Savior Is Waiting," and "When I Survey The Wondrous Cross" Look for this review in an upcoming issue of Singing News. (Click the link to subscribe if you don't already receive the magazine.) BUY IT! This is the first 5 Star rating of 2007. Please note that I've included my star rating here along with some other details that space doesn't permit in the Singing News. While I obviously can't print the review that I submitted to the Singing News, I can at least give my faithful blog readers some of the hard facts about the CD. My Star Rating doesn't currently appear in the Singing News, and is therefore exclusive information available only to my faithful blog readers! If time permits, later on this evening I'll go back and update my previous blog entries of this type. For future reference, those links (in reverse chronological order) are: 1. Three Bridges - Breakin' Chains 2. Isaacs - Big Sky 3. Mark Bishop - Abundant Sunshine 4. Kingdom Heirs - True To The Call 5. McKameys - Telling The Story 6. Cumberland Quartet - Acoustic Hymns 7. Allison Durham Speer - This Old House Labels: CD Review May 4, 2007CD Review: Three Bridges (Breakin' Chains) RATING: 4 1/2 Stars BUY IT! Producer: Jeff Collins Label: Sonlite Records Website: www.threebridges.net Song Titles: "It Took," "Everyday It Starts All Over Again," "Don't Let Go," "Wait On That Mountain To Move," "Bless Your Holy Name Again," "Breakin' Chains," "Can't Believe My Eyes," "He Took The Cross," "Arms Of Love," and "I Didn't Think It Could Be" Look for this review in an upcoming issue of the Singing News! BUY IT! Labels: CD Review April 21, 2007CD Review: Roy Webb (You Raise Me Up) RATING: 4 1/2 Stars Producer: Roy Webb Co-Producer: Gordon Mote Website: www.erniesigsound.com Roy Webb, pianist (and cheesy joke teller) for Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, has recorded a new piano CD titled You Raise Me Up. This isn't a cheap, quick recording. With horn and string arrangements by Wayne Haun and a full complement of A-list Nashville players providing the backdrop for Webb to be spotlighted at the keys, the production quality is first class from beginning to end. "What A Friend We Have In Jesus" gets things rolling with a light jazz feel. My favorite track is next. "Wayfaring Stranger" has a cool lick on the bass end of the piano that allows Webb to showcase his hand independence skills. The melody of "Above All" is so decorated that it may be a bit difficult to recognize at first, but the song becomes more obvious as it reaches the chorus. Webb syncopates the familiar Fanny Crosby hymn, "Tell Me The Story Of Jesus," creating another light jazz feel that matches up nicely with the opening track. The title track gets a huge orchestral intro before settling down to just piano and light orchestration. Of course, it gradually ascends back to the energy established by the intro by the end of the cut. "Swing Low Medley" starts with just piano, mostly in the style of Ray Charles with a couple of added snatches from...I don't know...Claude Debussy? A Lari Goss track kicks the tempo up a notch after the first piano verse, then just when you think it may be over, the arrangement kicks up another notch for a verse of "Sweet Georgia Brown" before returning to "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot." This addition, according to Webb's liner notes, is "just to make it more fun!" Juxtaposed immediately after this is the most meditative cut on the CD, a version of "Softly And Tenderly" that is arranged for piano only. "Just A Little Talk With Jesus" has an exciting black gospel treatment, kicking into double time before all is said and done. "People Need The Lord" is Webb's tribute to Anthony Burger, presented with a light string accompaniment, which is how Burger had told him the song should be recorded. You Raise Me Up closes out with "I Surrender All," which pairs up nicely with "Softly And Tenderly" in that the arrangement is for piano sans orchestra and has a reflective quality. As with other piano recordings you may have heard, You Raise Me Up layers in vocal bits at times to make sure the listener knows what song is being played. I'd prefer less of this, but that's just my personal taste talking. My one genuine gripe about this recording is that Webb doesn't always fight for his spotlight. Even on sections where another instrument has the melody, he could add something that demands the listener's attention. Instead, he just plays along with simple arpeggios or light chords. On the other hand, I could also spin this aspect of the CD to Webb's credit. He's willing to share some of his limelight in order to present a project that comes across more as a team effort. Those minor complaints aside, I'm very impressed by the overall quality of You Raise Me Up. The jazz touches are just enough to set the CD apart from the norm, not so much that any SG fans should feel alienated. Haun's orchestrations are perfect for this sort of recording, and the two cuts that feature piano alone provide a nice contrast to the rest of the CD. Labels: CD Review CD Review: Darren & Margy Hughes (Sing Along) A Nutshell Review RATING: 2 Stars Producer: Bryon Pritchard, Darren & Margy Hughes Label: Whose House Website: www.darrenandmargy.com Song Titles: "I Am Thankful," "It's About God," "Sing Along," "You Never Cease To Amaze Me," "That's Who I Am," "God Is In Control," "Ready," "Get Your House In Order," "I See God," "Spread Your Wings," "There Is Grace," "This Is Gonna Hurt," and "The Gospel" (spoken presentation) Sing Along by Darren & Margy Hughes is characterized by wispy vocals and predictable songwriting. The musicians who play on this project make the most of it, but it isn't enough to elevate Sing Along to average status. I could go into much greater detail as to why I've rated this recording as I have, but I have other CDs in my stack waiting to be reviewed. Labels: CD Review CD Review: Lynda Randle (LIVE) A Nutshell Review RATING: 3 1/2 Stars BUY IT! Website: www.lyndarandle.com Producer: Lynda Randle Label: Gaither Music Group Songs: "Jesus Got A Hold Of My Life," "One Day," "God On The Mountain," "His Eye Is On The Sparrow," "There's Power In The Blood," "Until I Found The Lord," "Search Me, Lord," "My Lord And I," "I'm Free," "I'm Gonna Lift Up My Eyes," "Carry Me," and "When We All Get To Heaven" Lynda Randle has been a consistent performer on the Gaither Homecoming video series for a number of years. LIVE is her latest recording for the Gaither Music Group label. This project is mostly a collection of cover songs you're likely to recognize. Recorded in Raleigh, NC at Hope Community Church, Randle is joined by several of her family members as well as the Wilmington Celebration Choir. Her mother, Maxine Tait, and brother, Michael Tait, are featured on "My Lord And I" and "His Eye Is On The Sparrow" respectively. The highlight of this recording for me is Randle's rendition of "God On The Mountain." (I'd still love to hear a male quartet record a definitive version of that song, though.) Lots of throaty alto vibrato and a good responsive audience...that pretty much sums up this CD. If you like your gospel music with a good dose of soul, you will enjoy this recording. Labels: CD Review CD Review: Godfueled (Twentyfour Seven) A Nutshell Review RATING: 1 1/2 Stars Producer: Brandon Hixson Label: Echo Productions Website: www.godfueled247.com Songs: "Building Bridges," "A Song For Mama," "Prayer Of Wings," "Why Me, Jesus?," "Shelter Of His Shadow," "Northern Star," "Tentative Line," "I'm Just Beginning," "Integrity Of The Heart," "Lord, Reign In Me," "Compass," and "I Surrender All/No Matter" Godfueled is a praise & worship band that formed in 2000. I'm not sure why they wanted their CD reviewed on a site that focuses primarily on Southern Gospel, but I'm up for anything. This will be one of my "nutshell" reviews. Twentyfour Seven has some interesting sonic textures. Unfortunately, once a sound is established on a track, it tends to loop rather than develop. The twelve songs, mostly composed by lead singer/producer Brandon Hixson, tend to be predicatable. The singing is decent...what singing you can hear. The vocals are sometimes drowned in the mix. This recording could have been improved somewhat with better engineering and mixing. As it stands, it's probably not the sort of recording most people are going to want to buy unless they already happen to be friends of the band. Labels: CD Review April 5, 2007The Rest Of The Review (McKameys - Telling The Story) Space is pretty limited on the Singing News review page, so it's inevitable that articles I submit will sometimes be trimmed or slightly re-worded. Such is the nature of being a work-for-hire writer. Of course, Singing News depends on advertisers to stay in business as well. As much as you'd hope this wouldn't affect what shows up in a review, sometimes it does. This was fully expected on my part when I agreed to write reviews for Singing News. My first submissions were pretty much left unchanged, which pleasantly surprised me. In the back of my mind, though, I figured it was only a matter of time before one would be altered to the point that it didn't accurately represent what I wanted to say. This has inspired what could possibly become a series of Musicscribe.com articles (assuming they don't kick me off the team for doing this, of course). And so, in the spirit of the legendary Paul Harvey, I give you the first installment of....The Rest Of The Review! My review of the McKameys' Telling The Story (April 2007, p. 80) had a few minor modifications in the top and middle sections...a few words were left out that didn't change the spirit of what I had written...a couple of paragraphs were merged into one...no big deal. The last paragraph completely changed the overall impression of the project that I wanted to convey to the reader, however. I had submitted: I would stop short of using the words “smooth blend” to describe the family harmonies found on Telling The Story. Some vocals actually approach strident territory. The true appeal of the McKameys is simple songs that describe a strong faith in God. At concerts, they often refer to themselves as “God’s cheerleaders.” That description is accurate. In the magazine, this became: The true appeal of the McKameys is simple songs that describe a strong faith in God. At concerts, they often refer to themselves as “God’s cheerleaders.” If Telling The Story is any indication, there's no description more fitting. To read the printed version of the review printed with my byline, you'd think really I enjoyed listening to this CD. Only you online readers got to read...The Rest Of The Review. Labels: CD Review, Singing News April 4, 2007CD Review: Isaacs (Big Sky) RATING: 4 1/2 Stars Producer: Mark Bright Label: Gaither Music Group Website: www.theisaacs.com Song Titles: "Big Sky," "Through The Valley," "The One I'm Dying For," "I Bring It To You," "Barbie Band-Aids," "Love Is A Cross," "Walk On," "That's Alright By Me," "When A Broken Heart Heals" and "Umbrella" Look for this review in the June 2007 issue of Singing News. (Click the link to subscribe if you don't already receive the magazine.) Labels: CD Review March 10, 2007CD Review: Mike Upright (Plain, Simple, Good) RATING: 3 1/2 Stars Website: Click HERE Producers: Mike Upright and Scott Barnett Songs: "He Is Risen," "The Only Fire," "Narrow Minded," "The Visit," "I Have Not Forgotten," "Promised Land," "When The Sun Comes Up Tomorrow," "It's Bound To Be The Lord," "Too Much Time," and "What A Prayer Can Do" The concept for Plain Simple Good is excellent and the execution, while short of perfect, is very good. This CD incorporates vintage guitars and other instruments to re-create a classic Country mood. A 1949 electric guitar, "one of the first microphones ever sung or played through at the Ryman Auditorium," and a well used steel guitar amp are mentioned in the liner notes. Players on Plain Simple Good include Richard Putnam, Rick Murray, Mark Fain (bassist for Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder), and David Johnson. Holly Blanton (of 3 For 1) and Damon Roberts are on hand for background vocals. The artwork sells the classic concept of the recording with a photo of a vintage radio and art on the actual CD that looks like a vinyl record. Unfortunately, the liner notes don't provide specific details about which instruments and pieces of vintage recording equipment are used on each song. Songwriter information is also sadly neglected. One track that immediately catches my attention is "I Have Not Forgotten." The Inspirations have this song at the top of the Singing News airplay chart for April 2007. Upright's version is fundamentally better. This is not due to his own vocal performance, primarily, but is more accurately attributed to the background vocals. The sweet quality of the layered voices is light years away from muscle clenching, tight-necked, strained tones. Other highlights from Upright's CD include an Easter song titled "He Is Risen;" "Narrow Minded," a cut about staying on the right path; and "Promised Land," a melody that may remind you of the 1960s war song, "Ballad Of The Green Berets." Fans of classic Country/Western music will probably want to seek out a copy of Plain Simple Good. Upright's voice is like a lower pitched, poor man's version of Marty Robbins. A closer comparison to Upright in terms of vocal range is Ed Bruce. (Remember songs like "My First Taste Of Texas" and "The Last Cowboy Song?") Similar to Bruce and Robbins, Upright strikes a balance between ordinary vanilla diction and gross over-pronunciation. He has a storyteller quality in his delivery. Most Country artists would probably lean more towards a nasally Dwight Yoakam or Buck Owens vocal style for this collection of songs, but Upright gratefully never takes it that far. Labels: CD Review CD Review: Russ Taff (Now More Than Ever) A Nutshell Review RATING: 3 1/2 Stars BUY IT! Website: www.russtaff.com Producers: James Hoolihan, Russ Taff, Michael Sykes, Bill Gaither, and Barry Jennings Songs: "Somebody's Coming," "The Sweetest Song I Know," "I'm Glad," "More Than Ever," "Just Believe," "The Really Big News," "Jesus Is The Best Thing," "Thank To Calvary," "Until I Found The Lord," "Jesus Loves Me," "I Believe In A Hill Called Mount Calvary," "Heartbreak Ridge And New Hope Road," "At The Altar," and "Hurt By Hurt" It's been four years since Russ Taff's last solo CD, The Best Of Russ Taff (2003). Now More Than Ever is probably an appropriate title for more than one reason, because Taff is singing a slew of cover songs once again. The most refreshing cut on this project is a remake of the 1973 song, "Jesus Is The Best Thing." Taff slips into classic Black Gospel mode with ease. Attempts at whiter fare like "Jesus Loves Me" (not the children's song) are less successful. Taff has actually recorded "Somebody's Coming" and "Just Believe" previously on solo releases, and he repeats these songs here with relish. "The Really Big News" and "Heartbreak Ridge And New Hope Road" are lifted directly from Everything Good, a CD the Gaither Vocal Band recorded while Taff was a group member in 2002. Given his innovative track record, you'd think a singer with Taff's unique vocal abilities would want to bring something fresh to the table after a four year break. That being said, this is still a good quality recording from a production standpoint with some of the best musicians and background vocalists you could want. Now More Than Ever is nearly an hour long, with a total of 14 tracks. Labels: CD Review CD Review: Gospel Harmony Boys (I Believe) A Nutshell Review RATING: 2 Stars Website: www.gospelharmonyboys.org Producer: Michael Bloomfield Songs: "Glad Glad Morning," "Heaven's Streets," "Grandma's Graduation Day," "There's A Certain Kind Of Certainty," "Glory And Praise," "He's My Dearest Friend," "The Best Is Yet To Come," "Still Be Believing," "Leading To Calvary," "All My Labors Will Be O're (sic)," "I Believe," "So I Gave My Heart To Him," "He Hideth My Soul," and "Battle Hymn Of The Republic" I Believe by the Gospel Harmony Boys has a promising start with the upbeat "Glad, Glad Morning" and a 1970s styled track titled "Heaven's Streets." After that, the quality is less consistent. "Grandma's Graduation Day" suffers from a cheesy lyric and a poor vocal mix. "There's A Certain Kind Of Certainty" could have been done with no artificial brass. "Glory And Praise" is an inspirational track that may go over well in a concert setting. Perfectly suiting the group vocally, "He's My Dearest Friend" has a nice mid-tempo track with a classic orchestration. The music theorist in me perked up when the thirteenth chord with the added ninth was sung so tastefully at the end. A special moment like that may make it worth your time to check out I Believe. Of the remaining eight tracks, one I'd classify as pretty good ("Leading To Calvary") and one ("Still Be Believing") as not very good. I had a lukewarm reaction to the other six. One other thing I noticed was a number of incorrectly spelled names and words on the back cover. Labels: CD Review March 3, 2007CD Review: Mark Bishop (Abundant Sunshine) RATING: 4 Stars Producers: Jeff Collins and Mark Bishop Label: Sonlite Records Website: www.markbishopmusic.com Song Titles: "Abundant Sunshine (Part 1)," "This Is Where Needed Things Are Found," "I Can Think Of One," "Put Wings Upon Your Problems," "Thomas, Why Do You Doubt?," "You Get Back Each Single Minute," "God's Got A Whole Lot Of Love," "The Patience Of The Angels," "Mean, Mean People," "Written On A Tree," and "Abundant Sunshine (Part 2)" Look for this review in the May 2007 issue of Singing News. (Click the link to subscribe if you don't already receive the magazine.) Labels: CD Review CD Review: Kingdom Heirs (True To The Call) RATING: 4 1/2 Stars Producer: Jeff Collins and Arthur Rice Label: Sonlite Records Website: www.kingdomheirs.com Song Titles: "Since Jesus Moved In," "The Rock's Between The Hard Place And You," "True To The Call," "I Am The Way," "I Want You To Know," "Jesus Made A Believer Out Of Me," "Looking Out For You," "Praying Your Troubles Away," "Lord Your Word Is Still True," and "What We Needed" Look for this review in the May 2007 issue of Singing News. (Click the link to subscribe if you don't already receive the magazine.) Labels: CD Review March 2, 2007CD Review: Jodi Hosterman (I Will Stand) RATING: 3 1/2 Stars Website: www.orioncreative.com/storybook.htm Producer: Arthur Rice Songs: "Speak The Word," "I Will Stand," "Farther On," "Sooner Than You Think," "By Grace Alone," "I'm Holding On," "Count On You," "I Know Him," "His Eye Is On The Sparrow," and "Mary, Did You Know?" Pulling stints with groups like Kevin Spencer & Friends and the Kingdom Heirs prior to accepting his current position with the Skyline Boys, Jodi Hosterman is no stranger to Southern Gospel audiences. You may not realize he's a songwriter, however. I Will Stand includes seven of Hosterman's original songs. As I listened to this CD, I kept drawing comparisons to Steve Green. This was due more to Hosterman's writing style than his voice. Even though they sing in the same range, generally speaking, Hosterman's tone is pretty distinctive (as is Green's). "Speak The Word" is a nice mid-tempo opening number. Next, the title cut is an anthem that begins softly and slowly builds to a big finish. "Farther On" is in a similar vein, except it softens down after reaching a high point. The rhythm of the hook on the up-tempo "Sooner Than You Think" is a bit awkward in spots. Otherwise, it's a decent enough song. "By Grace Alone" and "I'm Holding On" are two anthems that again made me think someone should send a copy of I Will Stand to Steve Green. Who knows? He might want to record a couple of these songs. "Count On You" uses the music track from the Kingdom Heirs project, Forever Changed, providing a nice contrast to the slower songs. Kingdom Heirs members Arther Rice and Steve French can be heard singing background vocals on this cut as well. "I Know Him" is the final original Hosterman song on I Will Stand. It has a full orchestral accompaniment. The CD concludes with the familiar tunes, "His Eye Is On The Sparrow," showcasing Hosterman's higher range, and "Mary, Did You Know?" Although I Will Stand obviously isn't a big budget recording, Milton Smith's orchestrations make it sound convincing. This CD does what it's intended to do: display Hosterman's multi-faceted abilities. After hearing I Will Stand, I suspect the Skyline Boys will be taking advantage of Hosterman's writing skills in the future. Labels: CD Review February 23, 2007CD Review: Ernie Haase And Signature Sound (Get Away, Jordan) RATING: 4 1/2 Stars BUY IT! Website: www.erniesigsound.com Producers: Lari Goss and Michael English Songs: (Click a song title to hear a sample) "Someday," "He's My Guide," "Lovest Thou Me (More Than These?)," "John In The Jordan," "He Made A Change," "Until We Fly Away," "Beyond The Blues," "It Is Done," "Our Debts Will Be Paid," "Get Away, Jordan," "Happy Birthday, Anniversary Too," "I Pledge My Allegiance," "The Star-Spangled Banner," "Oh, What A Savior," "The Plan Of Salvation" (live version), and "Get Away, Jordan" (live version) The CD version of Get Away, Jordan by Ernie Haase & Signature Sound clocks in with sixteen tracks (including two versions of the title cut) totalling 58 minutes. I hope you like variety, because this CD has a bit of everything. There's a number of remakes. In fact, every decade from the 1940s to the current decade with the exception of the 1980s is represented by at least one song. Some are close to arrangements we've heard previously ("Oh What A Savior" and "Someday"), but most have been given a fresh twist. "He Made A Change" is more bluesy than the Cathedrals version. "Get Away, Jordan" has a full brass orchestration, while "Our Debts Will Be Paid" has some adjustments made to the timing traditionally used on some phrases. More recently written tunes that stand out on Get Away, Jordan include "Until We Fly Away," "He's My Guide," and "Beyond The Blues." I wish Ernie Haase would have picked one pronunciation for "Jordan" and stuck with it on "John In The Jordan." It sounds natural when the Fairfield Four sings "Jerdun," but not when Haase does. That being said, it's still a good song. The only real clunker on this CD is "Happy Birthday, Anniversary Too." It's like the Muppets suddenly took over. We're not really talking novelty or humor exactly...the word that comes to my mind is "campy." The position where this song is placed on the CD is odd as well. It's hard to shift from a VeggieTales inspired song like "Happy Birthday, Anniversary Too" to a serious patriotic attitude for "I Pledge My Allegiance" and "The Star-Spangled Banner." Taken as a whole, it's difficult to sum up Get Away, Jordan in a nutshell. It's part patriotic, part nostalgia, part modern quartet, part fresh songwriting, part timeless orchestrations, and part live recording. What's great is that the group shifts effortlessly from one song to the next with only a couple awkward moments. BUY IT! Labels: CD Review CD Review: Young Harmony (Acoustically Noted) RATING: 3 1/2 Stars Website: www.youngharmony.com Producers: Rick Hendrix, Johnathan Bond, Wesley Crowe, and Jason Singleton Songs: "Good Morning Lord," "He Knows How," "I Need Your Grace," "Jesus You're Everything," "God Has Not Forgotten Me," "Bend In The River," "Something About That Name," "My Life Is In Your Hands," "He's My Rock," and "Consolation On Your Knees" For Acoustically Noted, Young Harmony has limited their tracks to acoustic instrumentation...guitar, fiddle, dobro, mandolin, upright bass, etc...no piano, in spite of the grand used as a backdrop for the tray card photo. I expected to hear a degree of bluegrass influenece, and that is the case to a certain degree, but I would say Acoustically Noted has more of a traditional Country sound overall. I particularly enjoyed the simpler songs like "My Life Is In Your Hands" and "He Knows How." "Bend In The River" has a light, carefree feel with some nice back porch style picking on an instrumental break between the last two choruses. The cover of Bill and Gloria Gaither's "Something About That Name" was my least favorite cut. Pronunciations like "fray-grunts after the rain" are just a little TOO country for my taste. Although Acoustically Noted isn't a recording I'd call ground breaking or precendent setting, the production quality, vocal performance and songwriting are generally good. The packaging could use some serious sprucing up. No songwriter info is provided, but twice we're told Young Harmony is a "Multi-Dove Nominated Artist." I hope this sort of marketing doesn't become a trend. If artists were to start listing all their accolades on the front covers of their CDs, there wouldn't be any room left for photos or any significantly creative graphic design. Labels: CD Review February 16, 2007CD Review: McKameys (Telling The Story)RATING: 2 1/2 Stars Producer: Jeff Collins and Roger Fortner Label: Horizon Records Website: www.mckameysonline.com Song Titles: "My Jesus I Love Thee," "It Takes Time," "You Are With Me," "Sweet Victory," "Secrets," "Sing A Song About The Lamb," "You're Still God," "Wait For The Morning Light," "It's All Good," and "Telling The Old Story" Look for this review in the April 2007 issue of Singing News. (Click the link to subscribe if you don't already receive the magazine.) UPDATE: Also see The Rest Of The Review for a more accurate analysis of this project than what appeared in print. Labels: CD Review February 10, 2007CD Review: Kingdom Heirs (Off The Record) RATING: 4 Stars Website: www.kingdomheirs.com Producer: Arthur Rice Songs: "Move That Mountain," "When My Master Walks With Me," "I've Got Something To Shout About," "I Know He Heard My Prayer," "Sea Walker," "On That Judgment Day," "Let The Lower Lights Be Burning," "I Know It Was Jesus," "Hide Thou Me," "Nicodemus," "Beyond The Gates," and "Oh What A Time" The Kingdom Heirs pay tribute to the Statesmen with Off The Record, a collection of twelve songs. While they generally stop short of mimicking the vocal styles of specific Statesmen members, the original vocal arrangements have been retained. Accompaniment is generally sparse with often just a piano in the Statesmen style. Off The Record begins with the sound of a needle dropping on a record. The first verse and chorus of "Move That Mountain" have equalization settings applied along with some mild hiss and an occasional crackle added to approximate the sound of an LP. The second verse shifts to CD quality. This project excels with upbeat numbers like "I Know It Was Jesus" and "Sea Walker." The modern, crisp vocal mix causes close harmonies to stand out in a manner that couldn't be achieved with 1950s technology. When the individual vocal personalities of the Kingdom Heirs cut through the mix, it's a great deal of fun to hear. I'd like to have heard more personality in some spots. "Beyond The Gates" feels a bit restrained, on one hand, but then Arthur Rice really cuts loose on "Oh, What A Time" to close out this CD. That tune, the tight harmonies of "Nicodemus" and "I've Got Something To Shout About" are my favorite cuts on this recording. Despite the modern recording quality employed on Off The Record, die-hard Statesmen will most likely continue to prefer the original versions. For that matter, ordinary quartet fans may also prefer the Statesmen versions. This is the nature of any tribute recording that retains original arrangements. Still, any Kingdom Heirs fan who generally enjoys Statesmen era songs will want to purchase a copy of Off The Record. If you enjoy remade versions of classic songs, this CD is for you. Labels: CD Review February 3, 2007CD Review: Dove Brothers (Never The Same) RATING: 4 Stars Website: www.dovebrothersquartet.com Producers: David Johnson and Danny Crawford Songs: "Taking It Back," "Never Ever Be The Same," "I Will Lay Them At His Feet," "The Miracle Of Faith," "I'm Gonna Make It," "Journey's End," "Gloryland Express," "I Can Pray," "The Maranatha Church Revival," and "No Time" At times, Never The Same builds on the Country tinged musical direction of 2005's Anything But Ordinary, Everything But Typical. A few tracks return to more traditional style, similar to the music that originally launched the group to popularity. There's also a few tracks arranged in styles more closely identified with other groups. The opening "Taking It Back" has a modern Country sound. This tune drew me in and made me eager to hear more of the same sort of sound. The next track, "Never Ever Be The Same," features David Hester in a traditional acoustic arrangement. McCray Dove wrote the song. "I Will Lay Them At His Feet" sounds like it could have been written and arranged for the Kingsmen. This number is in the style of "Love Will Roll The Clouds Away." "The Miracle Of Faith" is a Jerry Kelso/McCray collaboration that features Eric Dove on the lead vocal, underpinned by a Milton Smith orchestration. "I'm Gonna Make It" adds a touch of bluegrass instrumentation to a song that has an Oak Ridge Boys style arrangement. "Journey's End" returns to an acoustic feel that's slower, but in a compatible style with "Never Ever Be The Same." Kelso co-wrote this cut along with Marty Funderburk. "Gloryland Express" is a pounding Country arrangement of a Kelso lyric showcasing McCray that should go over well in a concert setting. From a lyric standpoint, this cut returns to the train analogy of "Gonna Ride That Train" (Flying High). From a musical standpoint, there's a actually little nod to Ike and Tina Turner when the top three voices have a few repetitions of the word "rolling" echoed by Hester in the bass. "I Can Pray" is a show-stopping ballad that's already getting some radio airplay. Jerry Martin does a terrific job with the vocal on this track. "The Maranatha Church Revival" feels similar to "I Wish I Could Have Been There" by the Perrys, featuring McCray on the first verse and Hester on the second. "No Time" is another showcase for McCray, with some exposed bits for Hester on the choruses. It's not a very strong lyric, unfortunately...a weak finish to an otherwise excellent project. Never The Same is like a grab bag of musical styles. Sometimes groups do this in an effort to see what style sticks best when the fans hear it. "I Can Pray" is connecting with listeners already. I think it's going to be a real winner for the Dove Brothers. Of the upbeat tracks, my personal favorites are "I'm Taking It Back" and "Gloryland Express." Because it's less focused on a single musical goal, Never The Same may not blow you away from start to finish like Anything But Ordinary, Everything But Typical possibly did. That being said, Never The Same is still a solid recording from one of the best quartets in the business. Labels: CD Review CD Review: Psalm 101 (Worth The Wait) RATING: 3 1/2 Stars Website: www.psalm101ministries.org Producers: Bill & Angela Fulkerson, Donna Beauvais Songs: (click links for song clips) "He Prays For Me," "Yes, I'm Gonna Love Him," "Give It To Jesus," "Face With A Name," "He Came Through," "Healing," "A Real Love Song," "Daddy Whipped The Devil," "Prayer Place," and "Heaven's Worth The Journey" In the rockumentary/mockumentary movie Spinal Tap, there's a memorable scene in which a guitar player is bragging about an amplifier that is better (in his eyes) because it "goes to eleven." On Worth The Wait, Psalm 101 takes Country Gospel music to eleven. If you put this CD in your player, don't expect a mix of lovely ballads or thought provoking reflection; rather, brace yourself for a sonic assault. Kelly Back, Gordon Mote and Jason Webb are just a few of the studio musicians contributing to this CD, and they absolutely let it rip. It's Angela Fulkerson's vocal style that really propels this CD above and beyond ordinary limitations, though. Psalm 101 can take a Shetland pony of a song like Carl Cartee's "Don't Let Me Miss The Glory" or Kenny Hinson's "I've Never Heard A Real Love Song" and make it buck like an untamed mustang. However, this group is really in their element when they tackle songs originally written with an aggressive delivery style in mind. For this reason, the best cuts on Worth The Wait are "He Prays For Me," "Give It To Jesus," "He Came Through," and "Heaven Will Be Worth The Journey." "Yes, I'm Gonna Love Him," "Face With A Name," and "Healing" are more laid back, but the vocals are still relatively forceful. Bill Fulkerson has a couple of lead vocals that help provide a more relaxed contrast. What's puzzling is that he isn't featured more. Two songs in particular stick out on this CD. "Prayer Place" has to be one of the most vocally aggressive slow ballads I've ever heard. There's no consideration at all for the lyric. You'd expect a line like "I've got to steal away to my prayer place" to be delivered softly, but Fulkerson sounds more like Mary or Martha weeping over the death of her brother Lazarus. On the other end of the memorable spectrum, we have "Daddy Whipped The Devil (With The Bible Belt)." This is a novelty song with some fairly amusing imagery, but again, the vocal delivery comes across more angry than humorous. I have no doubt there's a market for this style of music. The technical quality of this CD is very good, which is the primary reason I've rated it at 3 1/2 stars rather than 2 1/2 or 3. However, a more compatible song selection would have improved Worth The Wait considerably. Psalm 101 takes the "drum" part of "ear drum" literally...your ears feel as if they've been pounded on after hearing this CD. Although this approach is certainly acceptable when a song calls for it, most of these songs unfortunately don't. Labels: CD Review CD Review: The Imperials (self-titled) RATING: 4 Stars Website: www.theimperials.com Producers: Jeffrey Teague and Steve Dady Songs: "Beautiful Day," "Closer Still," "Forgive Me," "Big God," "Wrap My Arms Around The World," "True," "Holy & Acceptable," "Everything I Am," "Arise, My Love," and "All That Matters To The Lord" From day one, the Imperials represented a progressive facet of Christian music. In the 1980s and early 1990s, the group was on the cutting edge of the emerging "CCM" (or more properly termed "Christian Pop") movement. As the 1990s progressed, a series of personnel changes and increasingly limited exposure diminished the group's marketability. Seven years into the new millennium, many fans may be surprised to learn the current group is made up of seasoned veterans. Few groups go four years with no changes at any position, but the Imperials have done just that. Jeremie Hudson and Jason Morales joined in 1999, Shannon Smith followed in 2002, and in 2003, Ian Owens stepped in to fill the void left by the only other bass singer in Imperials history, Armond Morales. It's worth noting that Morales hired and approved all of these men. The group has taken their time releasing a full length project, preferring to emphasize song selection and recording quality over rushing a product to market. The new CD is self-titled, introducing this "new" group to a new generation of fans. The project kicks off with "Beautiful Day," a song that previously appeared on an Imperials EP. The production quality is seriously improved for this version. A guitar bed begins the song, then percussion is layered in, followed by bass guitar and a drum kit. Multiple vocal takes are layered and "effected" too heavily for my personal taste. There's no doubt after the first track, though, that these guys are outstanding singers. From the solid bass foundation laid down by Owens to Hudson's soaring tenor, the Imperials make a powerful vocal impact. "Closer Still" is a celebratory worship song. To my ears, it seems tailor made for modern Christian radio. The next song has the most thoughtful lyric on the CD. Even though Christians profess a love for the things of God, we sometimes fail to do our Christian duties. "Forgive Me" slows down the pace with a reflective prayer requesting forgiveness for these types of failures. "Big God" brings back an Imperials classic that was always a great concert favorite for the group, even though it was never a hit on radio. This version is more aggressive than the original. A strong guitar riff with layered keyboard sounds, a basic rock drum pattern, some John Schiltt inspired vocals courtesy of Smith and Hudson, and a series of manly "HUHS" after the verses combine to bring up a mental image of Petra, circa 1990. (Of course, Petra never had a bass singer.) "Wrap My Arms Around The World" is another upbeat cut that, like "Closer Still," might just fly on a modern Christian Adult Contemporary format. "True" slows down the pace with a love ballad...look out Backstreet Boys. The liner notes dedicate this song to the singers' wives. Like "Beautiful Day," "Holy And Acceptable" is an improved version of a song previously released on an Imperials' EP a couple of years ago. It's a bit repetitive, but I still found it to be a good worship song that should go over well in a concert setting. "Everything I Am" appears set to return | |||
